The present invention relates to improved compositions of chewing gum. More particularly, the invention relates to improving chewing gum by the use of specific bulking agents in sugar and non-sugar chewing gum products to give improved texture, moisture absorption properties, and improved shelf life properties. The improved chewing gum compositions may also be used in a variety of chewing gum products, such as confectionery coated chewing gum products.
In recent years, efforts have been devoted to replace sugar and sugar syrups normally found in chewing gum with other carbohydrates and noncarbohydrates. Non-sugar or sugar-free chewing gum, which is growing in popularity, uses sugar alcohols or polyols to replace sugar and sugar syrups. The most popular polyols are sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. New polyols are being developed using new technology to replace these polyols. New polyols have various unique properties which can improve the taste, texture and shelf life properties of chewing gum for consumers.
The polyols have the advantage of not contributing to dental caries of consumers, as well as being able to be consumed by diabetics. However, all polyols have the disadvantage of causing gastrointestinal disturbances if consumed in too great of a quantity. Therefore it would be a great advantage to be able to use a carbohydrate or carbohydrate-like food ingredient for chewing gum that would act as a bulking agent, but not contribute to dental caries nor cause as severe gastrointestinal disturbances.
One such bulking agent comprises guar gum hydrolyzate. This bulking agent or bulk sweetener is not approved for use in human food products or in chewing gum in the U.S. However, a GRAS affirmation petition for guar gum hydrolyzate as a human food ingredient is currently being prepared. The bulk sweetener is approved for use in Japan and is being used in a variety of foods. Although a carbohydrate, guar gum hydrolyzate does not contribute to dental caries, does not cause as significant gastrointestinal disturbances as polyols and does not significantly contribute to calories. Thus, this ingredient's use in chewing gum could be a definite improvement.
Guar gum, which is found in the seeds of two leguminous plants, has found extensive uses as a food additive. U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,818 discloses low calorie pastas made with guar gum. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,389, guar gum has been disclosed as a stabilizer for ice cream, ice milk and sherbet. Culinary mixes containing guar gum are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,524. A process for producing low odor, low taste guar gums useful in foods is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,899. Use of guar gum in liquid chewing gum and chewing gum with the texture of rice cake is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 85-224449 and 87-146562. Other patents which disclose the use of guar gum are PCT Publication No. 90/14017 and EPO Patent Publication No. 0 324 720. An enzyme treated guar gum is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,894.
Guar gum is a high molecular weight polysaccharide which, when dissolved in water, forms very high viscosity solutions or gels at low concentrations. Due to the molecular weight and resulting high viscosity aqueous solutions, guar gum has found only limited utility as a bulking agent for food.
In order to make guar gum more suitable for foods, it needs to be hydrolyzed to obtain a guar gum hydrolyzate. Guar gum hydrolyzate and its use in foods is disclosed in EPO Patent Publications Nos. 0 449 594 and 0 457 098, and PCT Patent Publication No. WO 93/15116. The use of guar gum hydrolyzate in chewing gum is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1993-115247.
An enzymatically hydrolyzed guar gum was described at a seminar given by IBC U.S.A. Conferences Inc. (International Business Communications) in Atlanta, Ga. on Mar. 13-14, 1991. Information on guar gum hydrolyzate is disclosed in a manual from the seminar and is available from IBC U.S.A. Conferences, Inc., 8 Pleasant Street, Bldg. D, South Natick, Mass.
The enzymatically hydrolyzed guar gum is produced by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd. and is being marketed in the U.S. by Sandoz Nutrition Corp. of Minneapolis, Minn. under the trade name Sunfiber or Benefiber.
Guar gum is in a family of materials called galactomannans. These materials are made up of mannose and galactose units. The main chain consists of (1.fwdarw.4)-linked .beta.-D-mannose residues and the side chains of (1.fwdarw.6)-linked .alpha.-D galactose. Locust bean gum is another galactomannan.
Galactomannans themselves are part of a larger group of natural gums. One specific natural gum is not a galactomannan is karaya gum. PCT Publication No. WO 93/15116 discloses a process for hydrolyzing guar gum, locust bean gum and karaya gum, which are characterized as "natural carbohydrate" gums. The hydrolyzates disclosed in the PCT Publication may be useful in a manner similar to Sunfiber, which is a guar gum hydrolyzate.